When they think first-class flights are heading for extinction, some major international airlines are regaining luxury and privacy in the front of their planes.
Last month, Air France was now available on its carrier Boeing 777-300 ER jet for flights from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). Lufthansa recently unveiled a new first class compartment that selects and launches new spring spring under the new Allegris brand that includes double bed features The Airbus A350 is a flight to Chicago, San Diego and San Francisco.
Cathay Pacific is planning its own first class facelift with its upcoming Boeing 777-9S, and Qantas is specifically designed with a luxury dig designed specifically to be the world’s longest non-stop when it debuts between New York and Sydney in 2027. This is when many major airlines like Air New Zealand and Turkish Airlines abandoned First Class altogether in favor of tart-up business class.
However, these renovated first class sections have a very small number of seats. This is only four in high-demand markets per cabin of the new Air France and Lufthansa iterations. So who is the new first class?
As Air France CEO Ben Smith revealed when he showed off his new product to the press in March, the market they really want is the private jet set. During the COVID pandemic, he said private flying has skyrocketed and has since had a “significant increase in luxury leisure travel.”
“These are people who are willing to spend their money,” he said, but there are some limitations. What has been changed is, “If you’re flying to LA or Tokyo right now on these long routes, it would cost hundreds of thousands of yen to charter the jet.” Additionally, he said that “the optics (for private flights) are not good” due to concerns such as environmental impact (private flights are actually 14 times more pollution than commercial air travel). In contrast, even at up to $20,000 per one-way ticket, Air France’s new La Premier might seem like a bargain for these high rollers.
Smith said some VIPs are obsessed with privacy. Even if you’re traveling solo “because it’s cheaper than a private jet,” you might still buy an entire cabin of four.
At an event that was held appropriately for the mansion adjacent to the iconic Ritz Paris (including a huge can of caviar in the prop), Smith pointed out that the new first class suite has 24% more space than the existing LA Premier. There’s more light. Each first class The compartment has five dedicated items In addition to Windows, what carriers claim is 6.5 feet, the longest flatbed in the industry.
The suite will first appear on a flight between Paris and New York this spring. The second US gateway, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), will get them this summer. But Smith still pointed out that first class Not available on all Air France aircraft. Some of the planes are top-class in business. “Not all markets can support this type of product,” he said.
Business vs. First
Of course, there’s no longer a time when most airlines just offered two classes of products. The business class, which began as a “compromise class,” arrived in the late 1970s, with more legrooms between the coach and first., However, it was not the early teaching style that transformed with the emergence of the seat of the lying. The front section lost its well-defined advantage as these better business rooms began poaching first-class patrons.
The US legacy lines except the Delta are far from the traditional first class internationally, and American Airlines recently announced it has discontinued its “Flagship 1” long-distance product. Because we’ll reshuffle the fleet with new aircraft delivery.
Business is becoming more common, but it’s easy to forget Around 20 global airlines still have real first class. According to the Aviation Analytics Company Cirium, less than half of the international airlines surveyed farther, offer true, completely independent, first-class cabins. However, across the industry, the proportion of available seats dedicated to first class has fallen to less than 1%. And according to the company, there are 1.2 million fewer first class seats available for sale in 2023 than in 2025. According to Cirium data, the ability to focus on this class.
For some airlines, having a top-notch product is about raising brand awareness, especially among premium travelers.. “It’s a halo effect,” said Gary Leff, an expert at Pennsylvania airlines. View from the wing Blog. “If you become a world-class premium carrier, it will help you have top-notch products.”
Meanwhile, business class has improved dramatically over the last few decades., “There’s something very different about having enough space to get up and move around in your room.” This allows for more amenities and Butler-style services whenever necessary, as much as possible with the latest first class version. “It’s not the same in business class,” says some planes that can accommodate more than 50 people.
And he points out that it’s not just what’s going on in the air, but the entire door-to-door experience with top-notch tickets, such as a chauffeur ride between the airport and your home or hotel, separating it from the terminal curbs from restaurant-style dining, to exclusive first-class lounges with private security reviews and the appearance of criminal supervisors. Other airlines, including Air France, Lufthansa and Delta, are offering all this to passengers who are first to have tickets on Key Airport Hub. (And that needs to be pointed out, as well as the first cabins, like Virgin Atlantic, which offers a hybrid business – with upper class seats.)
But is it really worth the money?
Diana Hechler, travel advisor and president of D. Tours Travel, says she is a traveler in Larchmont, New York. She says that even if they can afford it, they are not sure they are getting good value in the extra dollars.
“I’m not particularly interested in leisure travelers,” she said. “If they want a more comfortable flight, they book business and business class these days is a pretty good product.”
And she says, “There’s always a premium economy for people who say, ‘I can’t pilot’. ” he added.
Due to the limited capacity of the airline, I prefer to book these seats to pay for customers as to whether they can upgrade first using points of great loyalty for large investments in new trapping.
But you can always try it. Airlines don’t want to take off flights in empty premium seats, so they might be lucky if they can wait until the last minute. But in Air France you need more than just a mountain of miles.
“In addition to many miles, you need to prove that you have loyalty to the airline, not just points. He says that Flying Blue, Air France and KLM’s loyalty program, is “very smart to book the most exclusive products for those who have shown loyalty to the airline by acquiring the status of elite frequent flyers.”
OTT says, “So the short answer is yes, you can try it.”
First class stays here (for now)
All of these issues bring it back to the bigger question. Why do certain airlines continue to “reinvent” their first class when they are clearly very niche products? Is there enough demand to support the service?
Henry Harteveldt, a travel industry analyst at Atmosphere Research Group, a market research and advisory firm, says airline bets could be rewarded.
“First Class is here to stay for the near future,” he says. “These airlines won’t invest this kind of money unless they commit to it.” And it’s more than begging private jet clients. Market research shows that the CEO of the company and the loyal executives of independent, wealthy travelers are willing to open this kind of aloft and purse on the ground.
In particular, he said it was a new focus on airport experiences. There, first-class flyers can avoid scrums entirely in the terminal – it will guarantee its future.
“Ground games are attracting just as much attention as onboard services.” This is one of the areas that define the top differences. Business class flyers need to cool the heels with security and deal with customs and immigration deficits along with everyone else, he points out.
But for the rest of us, the very first class presence of our planes could be an ambitious spurt. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to ride a wide body jet and enter this rare world? “After all, it’s a marketing tool, and airlines with first class are in another league.”
